Getting an "Item to Flow" Object to change product based on Item's Type

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Benjamin W2 asked May 31, '19 Mischa Spelt answered Jun 3, '19

Getting an "Item to Flow" Object to change product based on Item's Type

I am working on a simple model of a paint factory. The first mixer, "AddativeMixingTank" loads a recipe. The first step of the recipe works fine, where it pulls water from a pipe. However, the next step would include a worker emptying a bag of powder into the mixer. I am trying to get the Item to Flow (called "BagCuttingStation" to change its product type based on the label of the currently loaded discrete "bag", then pass that product type to a FlowConveyor called "SolidsConveyer". That way, the "AddativeMixingTank" can pull the next ingredient for its recipe.

I tried to accomplish this by setting two triggers. The first, is "On Entering" which sends a message to itself with the first parameter equal to the product index. I then try to set an "On Message" trigger to use the parameter to look up the product on the Global Table called "ProductTable". However, this gives me an exception.

Any light that you could shed on the subject would be much appreciated.sample-paint-factory-1.fsm

Software Version:

FlexSim 18.2.3

FloWorks item to flow product

sample-paint-factory-1.fsm (66.2 KiB)

Answer 1 · 2019-06-03T07:50:35Z

Mischa Spelt answered Jun 3, '19

Hi Benjamin,

The Flow To Item does not have a FloWorks product type. In 19.0.1, we have added a separate FlowToItem (and ItemToFlow) class that does not have this property.

I'd suggest adding a Valve before the conveyor, on which you can set the product type.

Note that the mixer will go through its input objects and determine the ports for each of the ingredients at the time the recipe is loaded, which is currently on reset. Depending on when you set the product types of the input objects, this may or may not happen in the correct order. Perhaps you want to 'hardcode' the port numbers, by selecting "Use product source table" on the Product sources tab of the mixer, then using the green plus to specify beforehand which input port will provide which product.

19591-add-a-valve.png (39.3 KiB)

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